Monday, May 25, 2009

Runners Alley/Redhook 5k

On Sunday I hitched a ride up to Portsmouth with Mark Hudson for the Runners Alley/Redhook 5k. This is my 3rd time running this race since my sister Trish started working for Runners Alley. It's gotten pretty big (2000 runners) but it's a good course, well organized and it finishes at a brewery. Tough to beat.

My goal for the day was to get under 17:30 in order to feel like sub-17 will be possible later in the season. It was a pretty good day to race, warm but not uncomfortable. The start at this race is always very fast as it's slightly downhill and with a good crowd, and despite trying to hold back a bit I hit the mile in 5:25. There's a small rise in mile 2 and with the fast start, my pace fell off a bit and I hit 2 miles in 11:15. There was a pretty good group of guys around me to race with, so I never really slacked off. The third mile starts with a slight downhill, then is flat until the little rise right at the end.

In the final mile, that slight uphill is placed for maximum hurtiness

It was good to see my cheering section here, as I was hurting about as bad as I look above.

My four with their newest cousin

I'm pretty happy with the fact that I was able to run 5:36 pace for the last 1.1 but that sure wasn't holding anything back. I finished in 17:27 for 10th overall and I'm happy with how I competed but it's a little daunting to think about taking 30 seconds off that.

Digging for the finish. Ouch.

After jogging a cooldown lap of the course with Hudson (5th) and his Whirlaway teammates, Chris Mahoney (3rd) and Seth Williams (14th) it was time to find the beer tent. I bumped into my brother in law, Brian, on the way and we found our families and then some beverages. Post-race festivities continued on at Brian and Trish's house into the afternoon. A good day.